NFL Draft’s Potential Patriots: Nevada T Joel Bitonio

WEEI.com will continue to offer daily insight and analysis regarding options that may be available to the Patriots when it comes to the 2014 NFL draft. Here is one is a series of profiles of players who could be on the board when it’s time for the Patriots to make a selection.

JOEL BITONIO

Position: Offensive tackle

School: Nevada

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 315 pounds

Achievements: 2013 All-Mountain West first team

What he brings: Bitonio is considered strong, quick and athletic. He plays with power and has strong hands and good balance and can move well laterally. Bitonio, who started 39 consecutive games in college, is considered undersized to be an NFL offensive tackle. He has shorter than average arms. According to CBSSports, he “can get fundamentally lazy and stop moving his feet, allowing himself to get over-extended.”

Where the Patriots could get him: Rounds 3-4

Notes: Bitonio’s father, Mike Bitonio, was a mixed martial artist who passed away in 2010. … Bitonio was a star athlete in high school, participating in football, basketball and track (shot put). He was a three year letterwinner in basketball and lettered in track during his senior year. … Bitonio surprised many at the combine, running 4.97 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 4.44 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle and 7.37 seconds in the 3-cone drill.